Faced With an Impossible Choice
by Destiny JoRayne Adams
Summary: Tag to 3x10.  Neal has to choose, Mozzie or Peter.  How?  Written for a Word Prompt List.  Word is "Friend."


_A/N: So, here's my humble attempt at filling in some blanks in the finale. Spoilers for all of season three and most of season two. You have been warned. Written for a Self Prompt Word List that can be found on my LJ by clicking on my homepage link on my profile. Not beta'd, BTW, if anybody has extra time on their hands, I would love to have somebody actually look at my work before I post it. There is probably a ton of mistakes, but if you let me know, I'll fix 'em. Thanks!_

_Oh, and they're not mine, I'm still wishing on my genie, and it's not working…_

-000-

Neal had rarely felt so torn.

He had never been one to dwell on decisions. He had always looked at the options he had in front of him, made a choice and then made some way to make it work. He always been good at making things work.

And he owned most of that to Mozzie, and he knew it. It was Mozzie who had taken him off the street and taught him practically everything he knew. Mozzie had been there when no else had; he knew more about him than anybody else. They had spent countless hours together, working on small cons trying to find the big final score. They had thought they had had it several years earlier when they pulled the long sting to get Adler. The events that had started the chains of dominoes that brought them to where they were now.

But despite what kind of mess they were in now, Neal owed Mozzie more than he'd ever be able to repay. And Neal knew it.

But know Mozzie was asking him to make an impossible decision, one he never, ever wanted to make. Mozzie was making him chose: him or Peter, the life he had, or one he had now. The last two years were more than he ever could have hoped for, Neal supposed later, but he hoped anyway. Here he was, in New York City, working with the Feds but still being able to do what he did best, Mozzie right there to back him up.

He remembered the day when everything had finally been over. First there was the search for Kate; than the search for Kate's killer. He remembered when he figured out who was behind the whole mess, and he remembered the day when Adler had died. He remembered the feeling he had when he thought that the art had burned; he felt like a part of him had been burned. He thought that everything had been lost, not only the art, but also the stories behind each of the pieces. Art always had a story to tell.

He had felt exhilarated when he had stood in the empty warehouse, surrounded by billions of dollars in art. But he also remembered the twinge of unease in his gut. Because he had known even than that it was either Peter or the art.

Now it was either Peter or Mozzie. Or maybe it had always been between Peter and Mozzie. He had known that Mozzie would never reform, even after Mozzie began to like Peter and working alongside him. He had loved that; seeing his two best friends working side by side for the greater good.

How was he supposed to choose between them? Peter had taught him so much in the last two years. He had gone from being a nemesis to be taunted, to a friend who could be trusted. He knew that Peter had heard of lot of criticism from those within the Bureau about working with him, and yet Peter had hadn't listened; he had been willing to give Neal a chance, even though Neal had done everything he could to get around the rules.

Peter had stuck his neck out for Neal so many times, had put his career on the line because of his friendship with Neal. He had sacrificed so much for Neal and Neal had repaid him by sneaking around behind his back with the greatest treasure in history.

But he had done it for Mozzie.

It was an impossible decision.

And he chose Peter.

-000-

The call came from Diana, and Neal would have been surprised if he wasn't so caught up in the horror. _"Caffrey, Keller has Elizabeth." _ Her tone left no argument that she blamed him too, both Peter and Diana knew he was guilty, they knew. Neither of them could prove it and neither of them were willing to break the rules to get what they needed. They never had been willing to; it was Neal who constantly went over, under or around. Rules had never meant much to him; but maybe they should have.

Keller had Elizabeth. And it was all his fault.

Neal's life had never been about violence. He sheared away from guns, had even broken up partnerships when the other party was opting toward violence. He didn't like to hurt people. When he was younger, he told himself he had become a forger to survive, but now he knew he did it because he loved it. He loved the challenges and the puzzles, the thrill of adrenaline whenever the stakes were high. He had felt the exact same way working with Peter, and pretty soon, it was less about the two mile radius and more about working with Peter, Jones and Diana.

It took him by surprise how fast he was able to build a life, living with June and working with the Feds. For the first time in his life, he felt content; peace even. Instead of hurting people, he was helping art; the first love he ever had.

For him, it was a win/win. At first, he had felt the desire of the life he had led for so many years, but before he knew it, he didn't even think about going back anymore.

He didn't, until Adler and the treasure. The temptation was so great and all that was needed was one nudge from Mozzie and he was diving into the biggest con he had ever pulled, except now he was conning Peter.

And it was because of the treasure that his best friend's wife had been kidnapped.

He didn't remember how he got to Peter's, but he walked in the back door just as Peter walked in the front. Peter looked stricken and dazed. His gaze wondered sightlessly around the room as Diana explained the situation, but Neal could tell that Peter didn't hear a word. He had always been able to read him.

When Peter's gaze collided with his, Neal knew what he would see.

Guilt. It was his fault, he's the one that put Elizabeth in danger, and Neal had no idea if he could ever fix this, he didn't even know where to begin. He didn't know whether he should try to comfort Peter or run as far and as fast as he can.

But he didn't do either, he just stood there. He didn't know what else to do.

_-1,073 _


End file.
